Review: Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig

This book struck a very deep chord with me – I have suffered with depression and I acknowledge that it is something that is deep rooted within me and will always be there. This book is the first that has talked about it and made sense to me. I wish I had had this book when I was at my darkest points because it is brutally honest, it feels real and it doesn’t sugar coat it.

Because it hit me so hard, it’s a very difficult book to review. It’s part memoir, part self help and I felt like it was my story, in a way.

Quite simply, I think this book should be read by anyone. If you have suffered from depression and/or anxiety, or know someone who has, this book is a must read. If you know someone who has someone in their life who is suffering from depression/anxiety, it’s a must read. It is the most accurate written description of the feelings that I, and many others, have felt when going through this dark period and I genuinely feel it could help so many people. I don’t think there is anyone who wouldn’t benefit from reading this book.

Matt Haig writes beautifully. I really want to try his fiction out because, even talking about something so difficult and dark, there were so many passages in this book which were beautiful. There was a ray of light in the darkness of his words and I just really clicked with his style of writing.

Now, I gave this 4* on Goodreads. It’s closer to a 4.5 but there are just some things that knock it down from being perfect for me. While lists are easy to engage with, and something I enjoy working with myself, I found a page filled with a list becoming just a tad annoying, I found it was too brief for me and I wanted more (however, I respect that short and sharp is probably easier to relate to). I loved this book, I have already recommended this book to someone. But it just lacked a little something for me to be able to give this 5*, unfortunately!

2 thoughts on “Review: Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig”

Sounds interesting. I’m planning on exiting soon and I had many discussions with pro-lifers. None gave rational arguments (Everyone can always argue why they should live, not others). I wonder if there’s something deeper here.